Written Answers Monday 12 May 2008

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many retailers have been caught selling alcohol to underage customers in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) police force and (b) local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: The data held centrally shows the number of offences recorded by the police of selling drink to a person under 18 by a licensed person. These figures cannot be split into different categories of licensee such as retailer or publican.

  Offences Recorded by the Police of Licensed Persons Selling Drink to a Person Under 18, by Police Force Area, 2002-03 to 2006-07

  

 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-071


 Central
 13
 21
 29
 22
 53


 Dumfries and Galloway
 4
 20
 18
 9
 5


 Fife
 30
 14
 9
 19
 322


 Grampian
 66
 10
 18
 43
 48


 Lothian and Borders
 31
 18
 28
 37
 101


 Northern
 9
 16
 21
 11
 89


 Strathclyde
 139
 174
 173
 185
 163


 Tayside
 12
 13
 37
 31
 20


 Scotland
 304
 286
 333
 357
 801



  Note: 1. Figures for 2006-07 show the impact of the Fife alcohol test purchasing pilot.

  Offences Recorded by the Police of Licensed Persons Selling Drink to a Person Under 18, by Local Authority Area, 2002-03 to 2006-07

  

 Local Authority
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-071


 Aberdeen City
 12
 1
 7
 29
 19


 Aberdeenshire
 40
 9
 3
 13
 12


 Angus
 2
 5
 4
 12
 9


 Argyll and Bute
 15
 7
 5
 4
 5


 Clackmannanshire
 0
 4
 1
 0
 7


 Dumfries and Galloway
 4
 20
 18
 9
 5


 Dundee City
 6
 7
 0
 10
 10


 East Ayrshire
 36
 15
 20
 10
 10


 East Dunbartonshire
 13
 8
 8
 16
 13


 East Lothian
 1
 0
 0
 3
 41


 East Renfrewshire
 1
 0
 1
 3
 8


 Edinburgh
 18
 11
 9
 17
 33


 Eilean Siar (W.Isles)
 0
 0
 0
 0
 5


 Falkirk
 9
 10
 21
 8
 34


 Fife
 30
 14
 9
 19
 322


 Glasgow
 13
 38
 51
 53
 38


 Highland
 9
 11
 17
 11
 68


 Inverclyde
 5
 1
 3
 1
 7


 Midlothian
 1
 6
 10
 12
 9


 Moray
 14
 0
 8
 1
 17


 North Ayrshire
 9
 9
 13
 23
 10


 North Lanarkshire
 7
 0
 14
 25
 23


 Orkney Islands
 0
 5
 1
 0
 14


 Perth and Kinross
 4
 1
 33
 9
 1


 Renfrewshire
 13
 17
 9
 18
 17


 Scottish Borders
 7
 0
 7
 4
 8


 Shetland Islands
 0
 0
 3
 0
 2


 South Ayrshire
 14
 21
 6
 13
 7


 South Lanarkshire
 5
 56
 40
 17
 17


 Stirling
 4
 7
 7
 14
 12


 West Dunbartonshire
 8
 2
 3
 2
 8


 West Lothian
 4
 1
 2
 1
 10


 All Scotland
 304
 286
 333
 357
 801



  Note: 1. Figures for 2006-07 show the impact of the Fife alcohol test purchasing pilot.

  Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many licensees have been caught selling alcohol to intoxicated customers in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) police force and (b) local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

Bees

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to protect bee colonies from the varroa mite.

Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11576 on 17 April 2008 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to prepare a 10-year bee health strategy, similar to that being implemented by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-11577 on 17 April 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to consider licensing additional medical treatments, such as Apivar and Perizin, against the varroa mite across the United Kingdom.

Michael Russell: The approval of veterinary medicines, including those for the treatment of bee pests and diseases, is a reserved matter.

  Decisions on whether or not to apply for a marketing authorisation for a veterinary medicinal product are commercial issues for those wishing to invest the necessary capital with a view to marketing the product on a commercial basis.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision will be made for an effective diagnostic and follow-up service for bee health.

Michael Russell: Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture provides a diagnostic service to beekeepers who suspect that their hives may be infected by the varroa mite or notifiable bee pests or diseases. This service is funded by the Scottish Government Rural Directorate at a cost of £17,500 per annum.

Children and Young People

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many child contact centres there are; where they are, and how they are funded.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is aware of 38 child contact centres across Scotland. Details are in the following table. The Scottish Government provides core funding for the 13 local family mediation service providers which they can use to provide child contact centres along with funding from other sources such as local authorities or trusts. Of the 38 contact centres mentioned, seven are independent and we have no knowledge of funding sources. There may be other contact centre facilities which the Scottish Government has no knowledge of.

  Child Contact Centres – April 2008

  

 Area
 Number of Centres
 Locations


 Aberdeenshire
 1
 Aberdeen, VSA Children’s Society


 Argyll and Bute
 3
Oban
Dunoon
Helensburgh


 Borders
 4
Eyemouth
Galashiels
Hawick
Kelso


 Central
 3
Alloa
Falkirk
Stirling


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1
 Dumfries


 Grampian
 5
Banff
Fraserburgh
Cedarwood
Peterhead
Peterhead, Drummer’s Corner


 Inverclyde
 1
 Inverclyde


 Lothian
 6
Livingston, EliburnEdinburgh, Dr Bell’sEdinburgh, Granton
Edinburgh, Olivebank
Edinburgh, ViewforthWhitburn


 Orkney
 1
 Orkney


 Renfrewshire
 1
 Paisley, The Wynd


 S Lanarkshire
 4
Hamilton, Burnbank
East Kilbride
Lesmahagow
Hamilton, St Mary’s


 Tayside and Fife
 4
Arbroath, Angus
Dundee
Fife
Perth


 West
 3
Glasgow
Kilmarnock
Glasgow, Renfield St


 Western Isles
 1
 Stornoway

Crofting

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting will be published and whether the Scottish ministers will make a statement.

Michael Russell: The report of the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting was published on 12 May 2008. The Scottish Government will respond to the committee’s recommendations in due course. Copies of the report can be accessed through the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting website: www.croftinginquiry.org.

  The Committee of Inquiry on Crofting has made recommendations on crofting regulation and enforcement. Should the Government accept the recommendation to introduce what is referred to as a residency burden to croft house sites, it may also accept the recommendation to introduce the burden with effect from 12 May 2008.

  If the government were to accept these recommendations, it could be expected to invite Parliament to apply any restrictions to croft house sites and crofts for which the application for consent to assign a croft or for which notification of the change of ownership of the land was received by the Crofters Commission after 12 May 2008. Such restrictions would also apply to croft house sites for which notice of applications to decroft was received by the Crofters Commission after that date. Furthermore, any houses built on land that was under crofting tenure on 12 May 2008 and for which no application to decroft land had been received would be subject to an enhanced burden that would tie the new owner not only to occupancy but also to working the land.

Domestic Abuse

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions are outlined in the draft single outcome agreement with Highland Council in relation to services for women who are victims of domestic violence.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions are outlined in the draft single outcome agreement with Moray Council in relation to services for women who are victims of domestic violence.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions are outlined in the draft single outcome agreement with Orkney Islands Council in relation to services for women who are victims of domestic violence.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions are outlined in the draft single outcome agreement with Shetland Islands Council in relation to services for women who are victims of domestic violence.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions are outlined in the draft single outcome agreement with Argyll and Bute Council in relation to services for women who are victims of domestic violence.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions are outlined in the draft single outcome agreement with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in relation to services for women who are victims of domestic violence.

Stewart Maxwell: We are currently in the process of agreeing single outcome agreements (SOAs) for 2008-09 with all 32 councils. We aim to complete this process by 30 June 2008 and, subject to agreement with councils, all finalised agreements will be made publicly available shortly thereafter. It would not be appropriate at this stage of the process to comment on specific areas of focus within individual agreements, but we expect SOAs to reflect the priorities and agreed outcomes for each council and to include the relevant supporting indicators and targets.

Drink Driving

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11748 by Kenny MacAskill on 28 April 2008, how many people in the Lothians region in each year since 1997 were recorded (a) "driving a motor vehicle with blood alcohol content above prescribed limit" and (b) "in charge of a motor vehicle while blood alcohol content above limit".

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  Offences of Driving a Motor Vehicle with Blood Alcohol Content Above Prescribed Limit Recorded by Lothian and Borders Police, by Local Authority Area, 1997-98 to 2006-07

  

 
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02


 City of Edinburgh
 780
 731
 696
 694
 685


 East Lothian
 98
 91
 88
 72
 78


 Midlothian
 142
 129
 112
 109
 119


 Scottish Borders
 121
 129
 128
 139
 164


 West Lothian
 251
 274
 251
 282
 306


 Total Lothian and Borders
 1,392
 1,354
 1,275
 1,296
 1,352



  

 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 City of Edinburgh
 619
 530
 605
 580
 471


 East Lothian
 85
 102
 92
 111
 110


 Midlothian
 145
 135
 112
 88
 127


 Scottish Borders
 158
 163
 157
 142
 154


 West Lothian
 268
 245
 229
 236
 240


 Total Lothian and Borders
 1,275
 1,175
 1,195
 1,157
 1,102



  Offences of Being in Charge of a Motor Vehicle while Blood Alcohol Content above Limit Recorded by Lothian and Borders Police, by Local Authority Area, 1997-98 to 2006-07

  

 
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02


 City of Edinburgh
 13
 25
 40
 8
 22


 East Lothian
 5
 5
 3
 4
 4


 Midlothian
 14
 8
 3
 3
 7


 Scottish Borders
 5
 0
 4
 7
 5


 West Lothian
 7
 16
 18
 8
 12


 Total Lothian and Borders
 44
 54
 68
 30
 50



  

 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 City of Edinburgh
 34
 41
 49
 86
 149


 East Lothian
 2
 5
 8
 13
 17


 Midlothian
 9
 10
 9
 14
 9


 Scottish Borders
 14
 13
 8
 22
 10


 West Lothian
 7
 22
 21
 22
 37


 Total Lothian and Borders
 66
 91
 95
 157
 222



  Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11748 by Kenny MacAskill on 28 April 2008, why the figures exclude people "driving a motor vehicle with blood alcohol content above prescribed limit" and "in charge of a motor vehicle while blood alcohol content above limit".

Kenny MacAskill: Question S3W-11748 asked how many offences of drug driving were recorded in the Lothians region in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency, also showing the rates per head of population. As question S3W-11748 did not ask about alcohol related offences but referred specifically to drug driving offences, these were the data provided in the answer. The data held centrally on offences committed while unfit through drink or drugs cannot be separated. However, there are two specific offences which are related to alcohol only, and so the data for these offences was excluded from the answer given, as they were not asked for.

Drug Misuse

Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any legal powers exist to ban or otherwise restrict the consumption of methadone in public places.

Kenny MacAskill: The relevant legislation is the Medicines Act 1968 and the Controlled Drugs Regulations. Neither provide legal powers to ban or otherwise restrict the consumption of methadone by a patient in a public place where the methadone has been legally prescribed and dispensed for that patient.

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11748 by Kenny MacAskill on 28 April 2008, why the information on drink driving and drug driving offences cannot be separated.

Kenny MacAskill: The information on drink driving and drug driving offences cannot be separated because the codes used for offences committed while unfit through drink or drugs reflect the content of the relevant legislation, that is the Road Traffic Act 1988. This act states that it is an offence to drive, attempt to drive or be in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place when unfit through drink or drugs. Therefore the offences are recorded as "Driving a motor vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs", and "Being in charge of a motor vehicle while unfit through drink or drugs".

Education

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to implement the recent Improving Enterprise in Education report by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE).

Fiona Hyslop: We very much welcome the HMIE’s report. It outlined a number of highly positive outcomes achieved through effective delivery of enterprise in education, including the promotion of good attendance, behaviour, motivation and attainment as well as providing an important focus on skills for learning, employability and entrepreneurship. We have taken into account the report’s recommendations in identifying our priorities for delivery of Determined to Succeed 2008-11 and shall announce those priorities shortly.

  Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what barriers exist to the implementation of the recent Improving Enterprise in Education report by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE).

Fiona Hyslop: Enterprise education, as delivered through Determined to Succeed (DtS), is entirely consistent with our overall purpose of sustainable economic growth and fully supports our national outcome of young people that are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens. The recommendations in HMIE’s helpful report are ones we have taken into account in identifying priorities for continued delivery of DtS over the period 2008-11, on which we shall make an announcement shortly. Meanwhile, we are supporting local authorities’ and schools’ understanding of HMIE’s recommendations via a series of dissemination events across Scotland and will be developing enterprising leadership and continuing professional development opportunities to build capacity amongst teachers.

  Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support teachers in continuing professional development to deliver improvements in enterprise education.

Fiona Hyslop: The continuing professional development (CPD) of teachers is central in ensuring effective delivery of enterprising and entrepreneurial skills in the classroom. Through Determined to Succeed (DtS), our strategy for enterprise in education, we are developing a suite of CPD resources that will shortly be available on the Learning and Teaching Scotland website. These resources will give teachers a greater understanding of the teaching methods and outcomes want to see through DtS, in turn ensuring enterprising teaching and learning is embedded within the curriculum and ethos of every school in Scotland.

  Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support local authorities to implement the recent Improving Enterprise in Education report by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE).

Fiona Hyslop: We will shortly be announcing our priorities for local delivery of Determined to Succeed (DtS), our strategy for enterprise in education, over 2008-11. These priorities will reflect the recommendations in the recent HMIE report and our experience of delivering DtS to date.

  We are currently supporting local authorities and schools through a series of dissemination events across Scotland, showcasing examples of good practice in the key areas highlighted in the report. The events have been filmed and will be made available for use by local authorities further to support implementation. We will also continue our development of enterprising leadership and continuing professional development opportunities to build capacity among teachers and encourage greater engagement with employers and the wider community.

  In line with our concordat with COSLA, we will continue to work with local authorities to identify and provide the support they need deliver Determined to Succeed.

Emergency Planning

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that voluntary organisations such as the Red Cross, WRVS and others supporting vulnerable adults are fully engaged and consulted on planning issues in the event of a pandemic.

Nicola Sturgeon: Responsibility for liaison with voluntary organisations rests with Category 1 Responders as defined by the Civil Contingency Act 2004. Category 1 Responders are organisations such as local authorities, NHS boards, the police and the Fire and Rescue Services. Preparing Scotland, the Scottish Government guidance on preparing for emergencies, directs Category 1 responders to integrate the activities of voluntary organisations at all stages of preparation in order to ensure a coordinated approach and response to emergencies.

  Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, or intends to take through the Healthy Living programme, to encourage larger firms to plan for management of a pandemic.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Healthy Living programme relates to health improvement and therefore contains no guidance on planning for a flu pandemic. Relevant guidance was however published in A Scottish Framework for responding to an influenza Pandemic on 22 November 2007. The framework reflects the fact that pandemic flu will have an impact across society and provides guidance and planning assumptions on which all business continuity plans for an outbreak should be made. The Scottish Government recognises that in the event of a flu pandemic the overall aim is to maintain "business as usual" as far as practicable and has been involved in considerable direct preparatory and planning work with key business sectors, such as energy, telecommunications, food, transport and water. The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 requires local authorities to provide advice and assistance for those undertaking commercial activities, in relation to business continuity management, in the event of an emergency. In order to assist local authorities with their responsibilities, the Scottish Government produced a leaflet which local authorities could use as the basis for their approach to local businesses to promote business continuity planning, at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/178380/0050775.pdf.

Family Law

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions ministers have had with sheriffs about how to address the breaching of contact orders.

Kenny MacAskill: The Minister for Community Safety wrote to the president of the Sheriffs’ Association in March 2008 requesting a meeting to discuss family law issues, including the enforcement of contact orders.

Flooding

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it has completed on predicting and identifying the possible severity and frequency of flooding due to climate change and assessing the resulting cost impact.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has published its research on Climate Change:

  Flooding Occurrences Review (2002) at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/156664/0042098.pdf.

  Climate Change: Review of Levels of Protection Offered by Flood Prevention Schemes UKCIP02 update (2003) at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/02/18789/32059.

  The United Kingdom Climate Impacts Programme expects to publish, later this year, a revised and updated set of tools and statistics to assist predicting and identifying the effects on flooding.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it has undertaken on studying the probability of events occurring at the same time, such as a sustained period of rain and a heavy storm and their impacts, with particular regard to the (a) Forth, (b) Tay and (c) Clyde estuaries.

Michael Russell: The forthcoming Flooding Bill will transpose the EC Directive on the Assessment and Management of Flood Risk, requiring member states to identify and map areas at significant risk of flooding by December 2013. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has published its Indicative River and Coastal Flood Map (Scotland) showing land at flood risk at an annual probability greater than 0.5%, which is available at http://www.sepa.org.uk/flooding/mapping/index.htm.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on investigations into good and bad flood management practices across the world and what lessons have been learnt.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government through its Flooding Policy team maintains an overview on all scientific evidence that provides examples of sustainable flood risk management. It is also a founding member of the EU funded CRUE Eranet, which provides a structured framework for information and its exchange on all European research work in the field of flood risk management.

  Research and investigations undertaken for England and Wales also provide a source of empirical work and Scotland is integrated within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency joint research programme. Evidence structured in this fashion enables lessons and best practice to be disseminated to Scottish stakeholders quickly and efficiently. The Scottish Government also provides a unique research and knowledge management service via the Research Information Service for Flood Risk Management (RISE) at www.sniffer.org.uk/rise.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the risk of flooding and coastal erosion will change in Scotland over the next 100 years.

Michael Russell: Climate change scenarios produced for the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) and research published by the Scottish Government and the UK Government, mentioned below, indicate that there will be an increase in the frequency of severe rainfall and storm events, which could lead to an increase in the frequency of flooding and coastal erosion. The next generation of climate scenarios for the UK, UKCIP08, will assist in predicting and identifying the risks of flooding.

  The Scottish Government research reports, Climate Change: Flooding Occurrences Review (2002) is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/156664/0042098.pdf and Climate Change: Review of Levels of Protection Offered by Flood Prevention Schemes UKCIP02 update (2003) at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/02/18789/32059.

  The Foresight Future Flooding Report published in April 2004 can be accessed from:

  http://www.foresight.gov.uk/Previous_Projects/Flood_and_Coastal_Defence/index.html.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to it of flood damage has been in each of the last eight years.

Michael Russell: No damage has been done or costs accrued as a result of flooding caused by natural or external influences at any core Scottish Government buildings. The Scottish Government has contributed to the costs to local government responding to flooding emergencies under the Bellwin scheme as tabulated.

  

 Year
 Total Grant


 2001
£68,585


 2004
£766,434


 2005
£721,737



  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost is of damage as a consequence of coastal erosion across Scotland and how this compares with costs of damage arising from flooding.

Michael Russell: This information is not held centrally.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it plans to invest in better modelling and prediction of flooding to better assess the risks and costs of flood management.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has increased the amount distributed to local authorities for flood prevention to £126 million over the next three years. It is for the local authorities to decide how to allocate the funding at their disposal according to local priorities. Resources necessary to meet the Flood Risk Management Planning requirements of the forthcoming Flooding Bill will be considered in due course.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that local authorities’ risk assessments differentiate between the risks of river and coastal flooding in high risk areas and flooding due to excessive rainfall.

Michael Russell: The forthcoming Flooding Bill will task the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) with the assessment of flood risk across Scotland, from all types of flooding. This will be the basis for the national framework within which SEPA, local authorities, Scottish Water and others can make informed decisions on the management of flood risk, whatever the source.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to assess the risks associated with serious flooding across more than one local authority area, such as those adjacent to the River Forth, particularly in respect of determining insurance excesses, and whether it considers that levels of self insurance and reserves are adequate in the event of serious emergency.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is working with the Association of British Insurers to ensure that affordable insurance remains widely available. However, terms will reflect the risk and are a matter for insurers.

  Local authorities are expected to include a small amount within their annual budget to deal with unforeseen emergencies but self insurance and the levels of reserves are the sole responsibility of the individual local authorities concerned.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to arrange for local authorities with little previous experience of flooding to learn from others that have been living with the risk for some time.

Michael Russell: This is a matter for local authorities to consider. However local authorities, through COSLA working groups, exchange and share information on practice in flood management.

  It is Scottish Government policy that every council should convene a flood liaison and advice group (FLAG) or combine with other councils to do so, possibly on a catchment basis. PAN 69 provides advice on the membership and potential topics for consideration by FLAGs as well as a case study of the Highland FLAG.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been given on measures to reduce the consequences of flooding.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has published two chapters of the guidance to local authorities on Flood Prevention Schemes. The remaining chapters will be published in due course.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/2005/10/0794935/49513.

  Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 7 and the associated Planning Advice Note (PAN 69) provide guidance to local authorities on taking flood risk into account in development planning, and on the use of water resistant materials and forms of construction.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/2004/02/18880/32952.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work has taken place on the preparation of a foresight report to assess the contribution that effective land-use planning will make to managing flood risk with a view to reducing the aggregate cost of flood defences up to 2080.

Michael Russell: The Foresight report on Land Use Futures in the UK, due to be published next year, will inform the Scottish Government’s future policy.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings it has held with the Association of British Insurers in the last five years to discuss flood risk areas in Scotland.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has met with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) on some 40 occasions over the past five years in order to discuss flood risk in Scotland. The ABI were participating members of National Technical Advisory Group on Flooding 2002-04, and its successor group, Flooding Issues Advisory Committee 2004-06, and are members of the current Flooding Bill Advisory Group. In addition, discussions are currently ongoing with the ABI to revise and update its statement of principles, with particular reference to flood risk in Scotland.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the fact that categorisation of risk of flooding is based on present-day risk rather than future risk.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government believes that, given the scientific uncertainties of climate change, the categorisation of current flood risk is more appropriate.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to changing the categorisation of flooding risk to that based on future risk, given the background of climate change over the lifetime of developments that will last for many decades.

Michael Russell: We have no plans to change the categorisation based on present risk, however the potential impacts of climate change on flood risk should be taken into account where appropriate. For planning purposes the approach to flood risk set out in Scottish Planning Policy 7 – Planning and Flooding already includes an allowance for climate change.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the locations are of existing (a) flood alleviation schemes, (b) flood storage, (c) sustainable drainage systems and (d) property-level flood mitigation in the (i) Forth, (ii) Tay and (iii) Clyde estuaries.

Michael Russell: In the Forth estuary there are completed flood prevention schemes at Kincardine, Grangemouth and Prestonpans, with a further scheme under construction at Bo’ness. In the Tay estuary, there are completed schemes at Perth and Bridge of Earn. In the Clyde, completed schemes are at Largs, Rothesay and Gourock, with a further scheme under construction at Saltcoats and one planned to start later this year at Renfrew.

  Flood storage is a component of the Perth scheme.

  There are several thousand sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) in Scotland and therefore it would be impractical to list those located in the Forth, Tay and Clyde catchments. Since 2006, the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (GBR10) require SUDS for the majority of new developments and Scottish Planning Policy 7 – Planning and Flooding states that surface water run off from development should be fully or partially drained by a sustainable drainage system unless this is impracticable.

  Property-level flood mitigation is a matter for individual householders to consider as appropriate.

  Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what average cost per property is estimated for rebuilding properties designated as being at a high risk of flooding in the (a) Forth, (b) Tay and (c) Clyde estuaries.

Michael Russell: The information requested is not held centrally.

Forestry

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be available under the Strategic Timber Transport Fund in each of the next three years.

Michael Russell: As I announced last December, the Scottish Government extended the life of the Strategic Timber Transport Fund which was due to close in January 2008. We will continue to provide financial support until 2011, with an allocation of £5 million per annum and a total budget of £15 million over the next three years.

  Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made to the Strategic Timber Transport Fund since May 2007.

Michael Russell: Fourteen applications have been submitted since May 2007.

  Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many grants have been awarded since May 2007 under the Strategic Timber Transport Fund and what the value has been of each award.

Michael Russell: Fourteen applications have been submitted to the fund since May 2007.

  Seven of the applications have been awarded funding, four are at an advanced stage of assessment, one is to be re-submitted, one has been withdrawn by the applicant, and one has been rejected.

  Details of the seven awards:

  

 Scheme Name
 Value of STTF Award


 Moray Infrastructure Project, Grampian
£65,000


 A897 Partnership Project, Highland
£400,000


 Upper Loch Fyne, Argyll
£6,000


 Marr Area, Grampian
£82,900


 Tomdoun Link Road, Highland
£111,861


 Rannoch Rail Head, Highland
£65,820


 Rathad Mara, Highland
£209,575

Fuel Poverty

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to assist those facing rural fuel poverty.

Stewart Maxwell: Last year, a record 14,377 central heating systems were delivered to the private housing sector and 5,259 homes benefited from the Warm Deal.

  We are reviewing the fuel poverty programmes inherited from the previous administration to ensure that they are tackling fuel poverty in all parts of Scotland, including rural communities. This review is nearing completion and we will share its outcomes with Parliament shortly.

  We have taken steps to ensure that these programmes are operating fairly across Scotland. Regular discussions take place with the managing agent to ensure, among other things, equitable delivery across Scotland. As a result of these discussions, the managing agent (Scottish Gas) put in place an Islands Plan which achieved the commitment which they made at the Local Government and Communities Committee. We will continue a regular dialogue with Scottish Gas to ensure that their commitment to equitable delivery in the Islands and other rural communities is maintained.

  Further action on fuel poverty will be considered in the light of the review including how to take forward the results of our pilot to explore the potential of renewables technologies in tackling fuel poverty which are expected in the summer. The pilot focuses upon low income families in homes off the mains gas network and compares renewables heating systems such as heat pumps against oil and electric systems. Most of these homes are in rural areas.

  We are also keen to ensure that Scotland gets its share of funding available under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) and have appointed a CERT Strategy Manager to develop a strategy for Scotland, which includes appropriate measures for our rural housing stock.

Justice

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what extra funding will be provided for any increase in the use of community sentence orders over the next three years, broken down by local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: The report of the review of community penalties published last November set out a plan of action, which is designed to lead to greater and improved use of community sentences. Work is in progress to take forward the report. The following additional sums have been set aside to implement the report’s recommendations:

  

 2008-09
£2.0 million


 2009-10
£3.5 million


 2010-11
£3.5 million



  The majority of the £2 million available this financial year is reflected in the current 2008-09 financial allocations for community justice authorities. The latter will be informed of financial allocations for subsequent years at the appropriate stage. Community justice authorities are responsible for disbursement of available funding to the constituent local authorities within their areas.

  Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been cautioned for shoplifting in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) police force and (b) local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: Information on the number of cautions issued is not held centrally. The available information is shown in the following tables.

  Number of Crimes of Shoplifting Recorded by the Police, by Force Area, 2001-02 to 2006-07

  

 Police Force
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Central
 1,492
 1,325
 1,422
 1,448
 1,350
 1,595


 Dumfries and Galloway
 586
 719
 663
 624
 759
 583


 Fife
 1,755
 1,963
 2,002
 2,307
 1,978
 2,077


 Grampian
 2,936
 2,727
 2,676
 2,931
 3,204
 2,996


 Lothian and Borders
 5,543
 4,880
 4,845
 4,668
 5,150
 5,199


 Northern
 971
 764
 873
 971
 1,006
 965


 Strathclyde
 15,821
 13,487
 13,056
 12,782
 11,770
 12,114


 Tayside
 2,466
 2,434
 2,411
 2,803
 3,030
 3,221


 Scotland
 31,570
 28,299
 27,948
 28,534
 28,247
 28,750



  Number of Crimes of Shoplifting Recorded by the Police, by Local Authority Area, 2001-02 to 2006-07

  

 Local Authority
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Aberdeen City
 2,243
 2,065
 1,893
 2,046
 2,282
 2,192


 Aberdeenshire
 430
 439
 526
 552
 607
 496


 Angus
 372
 322
 280
 358
 515
 552


 Argyll and Bute
 268
 168
 210
 199
 158
 191


 Clackmannanshire
 197
 147
 162
 192
 270
 307


 Dumfries and Galloway
 586
 719
 663
 624
 759
 583


 Dundee City
 1,482
 1,408
 1,477
 1,763
 1,869
 1,918


 East Ayrshire
 713
 526
 477
 599
 475
 597


 East Dunbartonshire
 418
 366
 292
 317
 226
 194


 East Lothian
 259
 245
 138
 136
 195
 211


 East Renfrewshire
 163
 136
 214
 188
 158
 219


 Edinburgh
 3,800
 3,274
 3,197
 3,194
 3,275
 3,361


 Eilean Siar (W.Isles)
 39
 15
 32
 25
 39
 47


 Falkirk
 837
 742
 839
 764
 640
 744


 Fife
 1,755
 1,963
 2,002
 2,307
 1,978
 2,077


 Glasgow
 6,911
 6,248
 5,237
 5,319
 5,199
 4,989


 Highland
 909
 739
 814
 902
 926
 870


 Inverclyde
 691
 449
 568
 404
 280
 331


 Midlothian
 299
 247
 307
 258
 415
 404


 Moray
 263
 223
 257
 333
 315
 308


 North Ayrshire
 882
 793
 852
 753
 825
 656


 North Lanarkshire
 1,616
 1,361
 1,382
 1,261
 1,199
 1,305


 Orkney Islands
 9
 5
 18
 23
 21
 18


 Perth and Kinross
 612
 704
 654
 682
 646
 751


 Renfrewshire
 1,039
 847
 1,133
 1,132
 969
 1,017


 Scottish Borders
 343
 279
 311
 262
 310
 257


 Shetland Islands
 14
 5
 9
 21
 20
 30


 South Ayrshire
 796
 580
 656
 668
 435
 573


 South Lanarkshire
 1,271
 1,072
 1,188
 1,083
 1,114
 1,282


 Stirling
 458
 436
 421
 492
 440
 544


 West Dunbartonshire
 1,053
 941
 847
 859
 732
 760


 West Lothian
 842
 835
 892
 818
 955
 966


 Scotland
 31,570
 28,299
 27,948
 28,534
 28,247
 28,750



  Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been prosecuted for shoplifting in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) police force and (b) local authority area.

Kenny MacAskill: The available information on the number of persons proceeded against in Scottish Courts for shoplifting offences is given in the following tables.

  Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Shoplifting Offences1, by Police Force Area, 2001-02 to 2005-06

  

 Police Force Area
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06


 Central 
 661
 583
 528
 615
 451


 Dumfries and Galloway
 178
 255
 232
 201
 184


 Fife 
 507
 511
 426
 527
 533


 Grampian 
 945
 982
 952
 923
 1,029


 Lothian and Borders 
 1,305
 1,321
 1,283
 1,323
 1,226


 Northern 
 228
 279
 268
 271
 303


 Strathclyde 
 4,459
 4,510
 4,057
 4,169
 3,572


 Tayside 
 887
 868
 901
 959
 1,164


 Scotland
 9,170
 9,309
 8,647
 8,988
 8,462



  Note: 1. Where main offence.

  Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Shoplifting Offences1, by Approximate Local Authority Area2, 2001-02 to 2005-06

  

 Local Authority
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06


 Aberdeen City 
 763
 832
 778
 687
 804


 Aberdeenshire 
 134
 118
 122
 192
 180


 Angus 
 110
 112
 93
 77
 130


 Argyll and Bute 
 31
 34
 46
 35
 17


 Clackmannanshire 
 85
 84
 77
 95
 91


 Dumfries and Galloway
 178
 255
 232
 201
 184


 Dundee City 
 555
 552
 584
 669
 825


 East Ayrshire 
 389
 400
 410
 418
 442


 East Dunbartonshire
 57
 51
 18
 40
 15


 East Lothian 
 36
 64
 34
 31
 12


 East Renfrewshire 
 12
 14
 8
 10
 8


 Edinburgh, City of 
 962
 971
 962
 946
 936


 Eilean Siar 
 7
 5
 7
 6
 -


 Falkirk 
 359
 328
 277
 308
 206


 Fife 
 507
 511
 426
 527
 532


 Glasgow City 
 1,764
 1,914
 1,598
 1,760
 1,654


 Highland 
 216
 273
 256
 260
 292


 Inverclyde 
 254
 300
 245
 201
 110


 Midlothian 
 43
 38
 25
 22
 25


 Moray 
 48
 31
 52
 44
 45


 North Ayrshire 
 12
 29
 36
 18
 40


 North Lanarkshire 
 456
 303
 345
 262
 227


 Orkney Islands 
 2
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Perth and Kinross 
 221
 204
 224
 213
 208


 Renfrewshire 
 347
 344
 314
 390
 290


 Scottish Borders 
 61
 55
 74
 102
 84


 Shetland Islands 
 3
 1
 3
 4
 11


 South Ayrshire 
 448
 400
 329
 339
 199


 South Lanarkshire 
 395
 504
 463
 476
 396


 Stirling 
 216
 171
 174
 212
 154


 West Dunbartonshire
 293
 214
 244
 219
 174


 West Lothian 
 203
 193
 188
 222
 167


 Scotland
 9,170
 9,309
 8,647
 8,988
 8,462



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Some local authority areas, including East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian and North Ayrshire, do not contain a sheriff court.

Kinship Care

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to take any action to allow kinship carers looking after children who have a residence order to access funding equivalent to that available to foster carers.

Adam Ingram: Payment to kinship carers looking after children who have a residence order is a matter for the local authority to determine. Local authorities have discretionary powers to make payments to families in need.

  Once the Citizens Advice Scotland’s advice and information service for kinship carers is fully operational, it will provide help to all kinship carers to maximise the income to which they are entitled through the benefits and taxation systems.

  Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all kinship carers will receive the same allowance regardless of which local authority area in which they live.

Adam Ingram: The concordat between Scottish Government and COSLA included a commitment to pay approved kinship carers of looked after children "a weekly allowance, at a rate equivalent to that paid by the local authority to their foster carers, with a deduction made for child benefit". As set out in Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007, funding to meet this commitment has been incorporated into the total local government settlement. It is the responsibility of local authorities to determine how the commitment will be met locally.

Medical Records

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it audits which persons have access to patients’ medical records.

Nicola Sturgeon: Access to all patient identifiable information including health records is on a strict need to know basis in accordance with the Caldicott principles, Data Protection Act 1998, NHS Scotland Information Governance Standards and various codes of professional conduct. In accordance with these principles, NHS boards define policies and procedures to audit the access to patient identifiable information.

  Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when all hospital records will be retained electronically.

Nicola Sturgeon: The priority for eHealth investment is to give clinicians electronic access to current information on their patients such as test results, and as a by-product such information is retained electronically. The full hospital record can however contain hand-written material such as charts, however digitally scanning such paper records is not seen as a patient care priority for eHealth investment.

  Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to provide GPs with e-access to their patients’ hospital medical records.

Nicola Sturgeon: GPs already have electronic access to results of investigations conducted for their patients by hospital clinicians, via the SCI Store IT system. There are no general plans to routinely provide GP e-access to the full hospital medical record. The approach adopted is to concentrate on putting shared online records arrangements in place for patients with particular conditions where co-ordinated care is most important, with the most complete example being the SCI Diabetes Collaborative linked IT systems.

Ministerial Correspondence

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10429 by John Swinney on 11 March 2008, when the Cabinet Secretary will write to me and whether the information on expenditure on hospitality by the First Minister’s private office will be published.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the letter sent on 9 May 2008, of which a copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45485).

  George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10428 by John Swinney on 11 March 2008, when the Cabinet Secretary will write to me and whether the information on the hospitality budget for the First Minister’s private office will be published.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the letter sent on 9 May 2008, of which a copy has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45484).

  George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10424 by John Swinney on 11 March 2008, when the Cabinet Secretary will write to me and whether the information on travel by the First Minister will be published.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the letter sent on 9 May 2008, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Reference Centre (Bib. number 45496).

Prison Service

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs would have been to it of terminating the management contract for HM Prison Addiewell, showing the basis on which such costs are determined and calculated.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The contract for HMP Addiewell has been published by the SPS and is available on www.sps.gov.uk. Full details of the contractual implications associated with the Scottish ministers, the authority under the contract, voluntarily terminating the contract with Addiewell Prison Limited, the contractor under the contract, are outlined in the minute of agreement, clause 42 and the associated compensation due by Scottish ministers is defined in clause 48. The actual compensation cost payable by Scottish ministers would be calculated in accordance with the terms of the contract and would reflect the particular circumstances at the time that the contract was actually terminated, with the value being variable from the award of the contract to the expiry date.

  John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio of prisoners to staff is estimated to be in HM Prison Addiewell.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The contract with Addiewell Prison Limited is framed in terms of delivery of outcomes. It does not specify particular input levels, including staffing levels. The contract has been published on the SPS website at www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/contracts.

  John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many changes there have been in the management contract for HM Prison Kilmarnock since it was first signed and what the cost has been of each change.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  One minor amendment to Schedule D of the contract was made to the contract on 25 January 2000. The full contract, including the contract amendment log, is published on the SPS website at: www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/contracts.

  John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the workshops in HM Prison Kilmarnock make a financial surplus.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The contract for HM Prison Kilmarnock requires appropriate employment to be provided for prisoners. There is no requirement for SPS to receive information on the financial status of the workshops; and we do not hold this information. The full contract is published on the SPS website at: www.sps.gov.uk/keydocs/contracts.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-11140 and S3W-11142 by Michael Russell on 15 April 2008, whether these answers indicate that it has no plans to make a ministerial statement about the proposed pay and grading scheme within the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Michael Russell: Pay and grading of Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) staff is an operational matter for SEPA’s management team. There are no plans to make a ministerial statement on this issue.